Corn husker



May 18, 1937. R. B. HITCHCOCK CORN HUSKER Original Filed April 20, 19332 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 18, 1937. R. B. HITCHCOCK 2,080,717

CORN HUSKER Original Filed April 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May18, 1937 Z, ,Zi'Z

ties

signor to International Harvester Company, a

corporation of New Jersey Original application April 20, 1933, SerialNo. 666,971. Divided and this application March 13, 1936, Serial No.68,786

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a corn husker, and in particular to a combinedear straightening and trash clearing mechanism. This application is adivision of application Serial No. 666,971, filed April 20, 1933.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an improvedconstruction in which a unitary mechanism functions to straighten andposition the ears to be hushed and to clear the trash which accumulatesabove the husking rolls.

A further object is to provide a positive forwarding means incombination with a combined ear retarder and straightening means.

These and other objects are obtained by a construction and arrangementof parts such as shown in the two forms of my device shown in thedrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken vertically through a husker unit of aconventional construction, in which a construction embodying theinvention has been incorporated;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the husking unit shown in Figure 1 with thetop plate and delivery chute removed in order to better show theconstruction of the ear forwarding and trash clearing means; and,

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. The huskingunit, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, is of a conventional construction,such as shown in the United States Patent No. 1,734,391. These huskersare usually made a part of the traveling corn picker, as shown in saidpatent. The husking unit consists essentially of a casing or housing I!)in which the husking rolls ii are mounted at the proper an le ofinclination. As illustrated, the husking rolls H are rotatably mountedin bearings supported by transverse members 52 supported on the housing.Suitable gearing and driving chains of a conventional construction areprovided for driving the husking rolls in the proper direction at theproper speed. As shown in Figure l, a conveyer chain iii, mounted belowthe husking rolls, cooperates with a fan contained in a housing it and aplate 55, to recover such shelled grain as may drop through the bushingrolls and to deliver the husks outwardly at the rear end of the huskingunit.

At the upper side of the housing it and at the end of the higherportions of the husking rolls ll, a delivery chute it communicates withthe top of the housing. A. cover plate l'i joins the chute l6 andextends over a portion of the top of the housing lil. Below the deliveryend of the chute I 6 an inclined plate I 8, extending transverselyacross the housing it), rests on the upper member l2 and terminatesadjacent the top ends of the husking rolls H.

A shaft l9, extending transversely across the housing Eli, rotatablymounted in bearings carried by the side walls of said housing, is spacedsubstantially vertically above the top ends of the husking rolls and thelower end of the inclined plate 58. A driving chain 212, which alsoserves to drive the other mechanism of the husking unit, passes around asprocket wheel mounted on the shaft [9 and continuously drives saidshaft during operation of the husking unit.

A plurality of spaced sprocket wheels 2i, four in number, is forrotation therewith. A transversely extending across the casing it,spaced forwardly and downwardly from the shaft 2 l, is rotatably mountedin suitable bearings carried by the side walls of the housing. Saidshaft is driven by a gear 23 mounted thereon, which is in mesh with agear 2d mounted on the shaft IS. A plurality of sprockets 25, smaller indiameter than the sprockets 25, are rotatably mounted on the shaft 22 inalignment with the sprockets 2i. A chain 26 extends over eachcorresponding set of the sprockets 2B and 25.

A plurality of conveyor slats 2? are mounted on each of the chains 25.Each third conveyer slat carries a resilient flap is mounted a smalldrag member 29. The flaps 23 in a normal position are at a slightrearward angle on the lower run of the chain, as best shown in Figure 1,and are of a length such that they will contact with the lower end ofthe plate 98 when no obstruction, such as ears of corn or trash, isencountered.

At each end of the shaft 22 and between each of the sprockets 25, an earretarding and straightening element at is rigidly secured to the shaft22. Each of these elements consists of a substantially circular fiatplate which is provided at diametrically opposite points with projectinglugs 3!. These lugs are of such a length and the diameter of thecircular portion of the element is such that, when mounted on the shaft22, the lugs, in their path of rotation, are spaced a short distanceabove the top of the husking rolls and pass closely to the end of theplate l8. It will be understood that with the direct engagement of thegears 23 and 2A, the shaft 22 will be driven in a direction opposite tothe direction of rotation of the shaft Hi. This construction causes theportions of the ear straightening elements an adjacent the husking rollsto illustrated, are secured to the shaft 3 second shaft 22,

or paddle 28, on which move in an upward direction while the flaps orpaddles 28 are moving in a downward direction. The ears and trash, whichare delivered to the plate l8, are resiliently engaged by the flaps 28and carried over the end of the plate l8 to the husking rolls. At thesame time the elements 30 are acting by means of the lugs 3| to engagethe ears, which are lying crosswise, and to straighten the ears to aposition substantially parallel to the husking rolls. It will beunderstood that the elements 30 are positioned a distance apart somewhatgreater than the maximum diameter of the ears to be husked. It ispracticably impossible for an ear to pass on to the husking rolls untilit is in a position parallel thereto. assures an immediate engagement ofthe husking rolls with the husk of the ears, thereby improving theoperation of the husking unit by insuring the maximum utility of theupper'portions of the rolls.

It is to be understood that although applicant has shown and describedonly two embodiments of his improved ear straightening and trashclearing device, he claims as his invention all modifications fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a corn husking machine, and in combi nation, a casing, a pluralityof downwardly inclined husking rolls mounted therein, means fordelivering corn to be husked to the upper ends of said rolls, atransverse support rotatably mounted above the upper ends of said rolls,a second transverse support rotatably mounted in spaced relation to thefirst mentioned support, a

plurality of spaced belts encircling said supports, rows of flexibleelements secured to said belts and extending downwardly therefrom, aplurality of agitating elements mounted on one of the supports betweensaid belts, and means for rotating one of said supports.

2. In a corn husking machine, and in combination, a casing, a pluralityof downwardly inclined husking rolls mounted therein, means fordelivering'corn to be husked to the upper ends of said rolls, atransverse support rotatably mounted above the upper ends of. saidrolls, a transverse shaft rotatably mounted in spaced relation to thefirst mentioned support, a plurality of spaced sprockets rotatablymounted on said shaft, a plurality of spaced belts encircling saidsupport and mounted on said sprockets, rows of flexible elements securedto said belts and extending downwardly therefrom, a plurality .ofagitating elements mounted on theshaft between said belts for rotationtherewith, and means for rotating said support and said shaft inopposite directions;

3; In a corn husking machine, and in combi nation, a casing, a pluralityof downwardly inclined husking rolls mounted therein, means fordelivering corn to be husked to the upper ends of said rolls, atransverse support rotatably mounted above the upper ends of said rolls,a second transverse support rotatably mounted in spaced relation to thefirst mentioned support,

' a plurality of spaced belts encircling said supnation, a casing,

This

ports, rows of flexible elements secured to said belts and extendingdownwardly therefrom, a plurality of agitating elements mounted on oneof the supports between said belts, said agitating elements being formedas disks having circumferentially spaced extensions formed thereon, andmeans for rotating one of said supports.

4. In a corn husking machine, and in combia plurality of downwardlyinclined husking rolls mounted therein, means for delivering corn to behusked to the upper ends of said rolls, a transverse support rotatablymounted above the upper ends of said rolls, a second transverse supportrotatably mounted in spaced relation to the first mentioned support, aplurality of spaced belts encircling said supports,

.rows of flexible elements secured to said belts and extendingdownwardly therefrom, a plurality of agitating elements mounted on oneof the supports between said belts, said agitating elements being formedas disks having circumferentially spaced extensions formed thereon, anddriving. means operable to rotate the belts and the agitating disks inopposite directions.

5. In a corn husking machine, and in combination therewith, a housing, aplurality of husking rolls mounted in said housing, means for,

driving said rolls, means for delivering corn to be husked to the casingadjacent one set of the ends of said rolls, a transverse shaft rotatablymounted above said ends, a plurality of transversely spaced, flexibleelements carried by said support and extending outwardly therefromtoward the husking rolls, a second rotatable shaft, agitating and earstraightening elements mounted on said shaft and extending between theflexible elements, and means for rotating said shafts in oppositeangular directions.

6. In a corn husking machine and in combination therewith a housing, aplurality of spaced sets of husking rolls mounted in said housing,

means for driving said rolls, means for deliver-r ing corn to be huskedto the casing at one end of,

the rolls, a transverse shaft rotatably mounted above said ends, aplurality of ear straightening elements mounted for rotation with saidshaft,

said elements being spaced axially of the shaft with one element overeach .set of rolls, means for driving said shaft with the periphery ofthe ear straightening elements moving in a direction opposite to themovement of the ears along the husking rolls, a second shaft spacedabove the husking rolls and spaced from the first shaft, a.

plurality of driving sprockets fixed to said shaft and spaced axiallythereof, a plurality of supports rotatably mounted on the first shaftbetween the ear straightening elements, said sup-.- ports beinginalignmentwith the sprockets on the second shaft, a plurality of beltssurrounding.

the sprockets and the corresponding supports, said belts carryingflexible elements extending toward the husking rolls and means fordriving the second shaft in a direction to carry the portions of thebelts adjacent the husking rolls inthe same direction of the travel ofthe ears therealong.

1 REX B. HITCHCOCK.

